But this is where part of the conundrum begins. Where do I let go of some of my teacher self and begin on the homeschooling journey? How do I let go of the state standard driven mindset that I have grown accustomed to in the educational system that was once my career and think more fluidly? I know that I want Monk to be successful and, with my Type A personality, I like the structure and organization that a set curriculum provides. But, I also know that although Monk needs a routine, he also needs to be able to be creative and move. He needs the ability to follow something that he gets stuck on and a chance to use his hands as much as possible.
In my research (because I'm a nerd and that's what we do - research), I have noticed that there are two basic trains of thoughts when it comes to homeschooling. There are those who have a structured, set curriculum, and there are those who unschool, or have a more fluid, project-based, learning style. I think that I'm wanting to do a bit of both. So, in planning and talking with my husband, we have decided to have A/B days. On A days (M,W,F), we are going to have a bit of the "traditional" classroom setting with lessons and worksheets and reading, etc. On B days (T,R) we are going to have more of those hands-on experiences with lapbooks, and projects and construction type learning. To help with my OCD tendencies, I'm also going to utilize workboxes to help with organization and helping the Monk to stay on task.